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IDBS Blog

Maximizing insight and bringing analytical data to life

7th Sep 2015

The pitfalls of automating the past

While moving to electronic systems for scientific data management brings clear benefits, the risks for organizations is that implementation seeks to automate past, paper-based processes. The result is that data goes from being locked in paper formats to being locked in formats like PDF and images and in data silos with organizations deploying a raft of standalone systems such as electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs), Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), and Scientific Data Management Systems (SDMS). In this scenario, the challenge of automatically collecting analytical data for reporting, analysis, and decision-making remains a significant hurdle. And in order to break down data silos and better integrate laboratory informatics systems, a natural link between ELNs and analytical data is needed.

Bringing data to life

We’ve been working on a solution to this problem with ACD/Labs. They work to support research and development (R&D) stakeholders by developing technology that enables knowledge management of live, contextual analytical data. As experts that see analytical data being used every day to drive chemistry and biology decisions, they saw the sense of providing improved access to this data through other interfaces besides their own. That’s why IDBS and ACD/Labs decided to partner to integrate ACD/Labs’ Spectrus technology and our E‑WorkBook 10 web technology.

Breaching the silos

With our partnership, we’re now able to bring live analytical data into scientists’ ELN interfaces. Users can now view live, spectral, chromatographic, and curve data in their notebook entries for deeper insight, more accurate knowledge capture, and data analysis. Users can also transition directly into the Spectrus Platform to manipulate the analytical data, with changes automatically reflected back into E‑WorkBook 10 and vice versa.

A connected future

We strongly believe that smart, innovative partnerships between enterprise R&D informatics specialists are going to shape the lab environment over the coming years and will help deliver a user-centric response to R&D challenges faced by labs worldwide.

You can find out more about the partnership between ACD/Labs and IDBS in our on-demand webinar.